By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Drobonso (Ash), Feb. 18, GNA – The Vision for Action Foundation (VAF), a local non-governmental organisation, has organised a series of circuit-level stakeholder dialogues across the Sekyere Afram Plains District, aimed at improving Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) performance in the area.
The engagements, which were held in the Dagomba, Dawia, Anyinofi, Drobonso, Funsua and Akoma circuits, formed part of the “I Am Aware” project by CDD Ghana – a non-partisan citizen empowerment initiative that provides accessible data on public service delivery in education, health, water, security, roads and agriculture.
Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the objective of the campaign is to strengthen citizen demand for accountability and responsiveness from duty bearers.
The dialogues brought together parents, School Management Committees (SMCs), headteachers, teachers, learners, the District Education Directorate, and members of the District Education Oversight Committee (DEOC).
The focus was to openly examine the causes of poor academic performance and collectively identify practical, locally driven solutions.
As part of the process, each school’s academic performance data was projected and discussed publicly.
Learners, headteachers, and teachers were invited to respond to concerns about their results and outline specific steps to improve performance in subsequent mock examinations.
Schools were subsequently tasked to commit to measurable actions ahead of the next assessment period.
Absenteeism and the inadequate supply of textbooks emerged as major challenges identified during the dialogue.
Mr Charles Sarkodie, the District Director of Education, described the initiative as unprecedented in the district.
According to him, it was the first time schools’ performances had been openly discussed with the direct involvement of learners.
He noted that when academic challenges intensified in the district, the Directorate turned to VAF for support to organise the Student Performance Assessment Meetings (SPAM).
He urged PTAs to prioritise support for final-year learners, cautioning parents against engaging children in farming activities at the expense of their studies.
The District Director also called on parents to monitor their children’s mobile phone usage and ensure effective night study routines at home.
Mr. Owuraku Boafo Justice, the Coordinator of VAF, highlighted the Foundation’s development interventions within the district and stressed that BECE performance contributed to the district’s position on the national league table.
He underscored the importance of sustained collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) as the most reliable pathway to academic improvement.
He advocated practical community-based interventions, including the introduction of school farming projects to supplement government financing.
For communities without electricity, he appealed to residents to support final-year learners by providing solar lamps to facilitate effective night studies.
The coordinator reaffirmed VAF’s readiness to support all initiatives aimed at improving academic outcomes.
Ultimately, the initiative seeks to reverse declining performance trends and secure improved BECE results in the Sekyere Afram Plains District.
Stakeholders at the meetings expressed appreciation to CDD Ghana and VAF for the financial and technical support, noting that sustained dialogue and shared accountability remain critical to raising academic standards in the district.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei